Predators and Prey
by hotaruartist-1986
Summary: Inu Yasha makes one mistake too many to keep Kagome from her time, blocking her completely. Through an odd turn of events, Kagome ends up traveling with... Sesshoumaru? Mainly a KagomeSesshoumaru fic.
1. Predators and Prey

Notes: Konnichi wa! This is my first fanfiction, but not my first time writing, so at least give my story a try. The rating is not constant, because I may add things that would, to be safe, need the rating changed for. This is a mainly Sesshoumaru/Kagome pairing, though I won't just dump the other characters. A little bit of Inu Yasha/Kikyou and Miroku/Sango will be found, though not in bulk. I try to be origonal, and though I know this isn't the most origonal idea there is, it's still all my own work and my own story. Otherwise, enjoy! ^_^   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha or any of it's characters or their attitudes. If I'm gonna get sued for this, then time it for a Friday when you could get a whole ten dollars from me! (I loooove allowence... I feel so rich! ^^) I figure if you've found this story then you know who Inu Yasha and co. really belongs to, and if not, go look it up! (XP) Nyaaah!  
  
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"OSUWARI!"   
  
The familiar THUMP of one Inu Yasha was heard as he fell face-first into his cup of ramen. Kagome was sitting a good ten paces away, her back to him. Sango tried to subdue an amused smile, while Miroku seemed focused solely on eating his own meal of ramen. Shippou, grinning slyly, bounded over to Inu Yasha to taunt him as he finally got up again.   
  
"You know, Inu Yasha, that..." he was cut off by a fist running onto the top of his head. "Shut up, Shippou!" Inu Yasha growled. The hanyou hurriedly gulped down any amount of his meal that was still edible, watched by a hurt-looking kitsune.   
  
Kagome had wanted to go home again, even though she had no examsl at the moment. There was a short, school-free holiday in her time, and while she wanted a chance to meet with her friends in her own time, Inu Yasha would have nothing to hear of it.   
  
After their lunch, Kagome shifted her backpack onto her back and walked away, directly towards the well, being only about a three or four hour walk away. The rest of the group, aside from Inu Yasha, followed her wordlessly, each with their own grin in anticipation of the nearing argument. They weren't exactly looking forward to the bickering, but this had been going on all day, thus they had begun to amuse themselves by sharing notes on who was winning at the moment. Score so far was Inu Yasha with 12 wins, Kagome with 15. Technically it was still anyone's game, even though they all knew that Kagome would end up going home for the break.   
  
Inu Yasha followed Kagome and the others for about five minutes in silence. Then, he couldn't bite his tongue any longer. "Kagome!" He knelt down, ready to leap beside her. "Kagome, you are NOT going!" He lept, soaring over the group, not quite noticing how they all made certain not to be directly under him, nor noticing how Kagome sucked in a deep breath. "We still have to..."   
  
"Osuwari!" He fell straight down, again. Miroku piped up with "That makes it a score of 16 over 12 now, ne?" to be followed with stifled laughter from the other two. Kagome ignored all this, glowering at the path ahead of her, and Inu Yasha pulled his face from the dirt with a very angry growl.  
  
Not without further argument, they finally reached the all too familiar grounds of the well, Kagome with a slight grin creeping onto her otherwise unhappy face, whilst Inu Yasha was busy in thought, thinking of attempting to block the well again, only to shake away the thought remembering what happened any other time he had tried that. His back was already sore from multiple 'osuwari's today, and he wasn't going to waste another one on a losing plan.  
  
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Meanwhile, a couple day's walk away was Sesshoumaru's group. Jaken was busy cursing a stone which he had fallen over, while Rin was busy piling smaller pebbles into a mound, forming only she knew what.   
  
"Jaken." came the emotionless voice of Sesshoumaru, who stood aside from the other two, facing away in the general direction of the Bone Eater's Well.   
  
"S-sesshoumaru-sama?" asked the suddenly-afraid Jaken, clutching his staff closer to him unconsciously.   
  
"It is time to move on. Prey is nearby." He stated simply, walking towards the direction he had been facing. Rin jumped up from her stone pile to follow him immediately, smiling as if she were in the middle of the most enjoyable game she could ever find. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Wait for Rin!" She had no need for him to actually wuait, for she was capable of running circles around him (as he wasn't walking very quickly at the moment). Jaken mumbled something about humans, following along as well. "Is the prey the hanyou with your birthright?" He asked, smirking at the thought.   
  
"Iie." Was all Sesshoumaru said, to the dismay of Jaken. He knew better than to question any more at the moment, though his curiosity was boiling. Who would be their prey then?   
  
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Not knowing of his new predators, a youkai ran along the ground as quickly as he could. He could practically smell the human miko who was said to be carrying many shards of the jewel he was after, though he knew it would take a day and that night to reach what he decidedly called HIS jewel shards.  
  
The youkai wasn't very strong, though he had something of a reputation for being slippery at the time of capture or defeat, and he bragged of his sly ways that had kept him alive even in battles with much stronger youkai than he. Now, he would run no more from stronger youkai. Once he had the jewel, there wouldn't even be any stronger youkai than he! He chuckled at the idea, salivating. He had stolen from the very best youkai. He had a collection of rare jewels, weapons, and even important scrolls from all the lands. He had even managed to steal from the great Sesshoumaru's home, even if it had been while the taiyoukai had not been home. However, he had never been able to show of any kills, and he vowed to change that. The jewel would do that for him! He would be a youkai exterminator of a different kind.   
  
The youkai lept over a log, laughing at his own skill and longing for the taste of his upcoming power, while at the same moment Sesshoumaru had caught his scent and was following slowly, looking forward to getting back at the criminal who had stolen from his home, and at the same time, keeping his distance to see what the youkai was up to. Meanwhile, at the well, Kagome shouted 'osuwari' as she jumped into the well headed for her own time.  
  
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Notes: I know, I know... tis only the foundation! I swear on my manga collection that I shall have a more interesting story than this! Read and review, please! Arigato! 


	2. The Well's Destruction

NOTES: Special thanks to MysticalAngel14 for the first (and, so far, only) review to my fic! This chapter holds a little more of the foundation, but things heat up a little plot-wise. Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inu Yasha. Rumiko Takahashi does. So don't sue me. I have no money, k? However, this fic is MINE! ^_^ Thankies!  
  
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The youkai thief hid downwind from the group that camped beside the well. 'Cursed wench' he thought, having heard Inu Yasha's description of the woman with the jewel shards one too many times. 'I shall take those shards if I have to wait all week!' He cursed a slight shift in the wind as he crept along just enough to be directly downwind again. Best not to have the hanyou sniff him out before he had the jewel in his grasp.  
  
Inu Yasha smashed another stone into dust. She had been gone for two days now! "If she's not back by sundown I'm going in to get her!" He threatened to the bored faces around him. Miroku stretched, reaching his hands down behind Sango, who was unfortunate enough to sit within the monk's reach. A moment later he was just beyond her reach, sourly rubbing the hand printed onto his cheek. Shippou sighed. He missed Kagome as well, and wondered how much longer she would stay away.  
  
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"Sayonara!" Kagome ran out the door of her home, and started towards the well. She had planned to stay in her time longer than these two short days, but her family had plans of their own and, well... she just missed her group of friends on the other side of the well. "Besides," she told herself "it's easier to deal with Inu Yasha than with the strange illnesses Grandfather places to my name." She shook her head and chuckled. By the time she had completed the jewel, she'd have taken ill to every disease known to man and beast!  
  
She hopped over the well, and felt herself taken again to the past.  
  
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Shippou and Inu Yasha jumped up in unison. She was back! Inu Yasha stared down at Kagome, daring her to climb up and face his wrath, while Shippou bounded down and greeted her with a hug.  
  
'Finally...' the thief thought. He shifted once again, watching the form of the miko climbing out of the well. His prey had arrived, and he could see where she kept the shards. He could even taste his victory as he ran from his cover and grabbed the miko's strange backpack, quickly running towards the shelter of the trees as the group realized what had just happened.  
  
"The shards!" Kagome yelped, seeing her things taken away. She heard a cry from above her as Inu Yasha leapt towards this new foe. "YOU BASTARD! THOSE BELONG TO ME!" He cut down with his claws, hoping to catch the sly youkai off-guard. The youkai grinned and ran to the right, managing to keep from getting sliced apart. Inu Yasha was quick, too, and immediately went again at the youkai, managing to make him stumble. Taking the opportunity, Inu Yasha positioned himself for a strike that would force the youkai back into the open, sealing off the immediate chance of escape.  
  
The youkai ran just as planned, cocky with his own reputation and the shards he was pulling from the backpack, and he dropped the backpack just beside Kagome as he passed her again, heading to escape to the opposite end of trees. He chanced a glace back at the hanyou, grinning as he saw he would make it away, when he ran straight into someone.  
  
Someone powerful.  
  
Someone who happened to know him. "Nesumi, I see. Perhaps you still posses that which you stole from me." Cold eyes glared down at the youkai, now identified as Nesumi. Nesumi stepped back, trapped between two foes, and fumbled to remember what he had stolen from Sesshoumaru. A painting, that had been what it was. Nesumi hadn't cared what he stole, as long as it had been Sesshoumaru's. The painting had been found on a wall in the room which undoubtedly belonged to Sesshoumaru, and so had been the victim of the theft. Unfortunately for Nesumi, he had sold the painting only a month after having taken it, an excuse that the youkai lord would not accept.  
  
Inu Yasha growled at the scene in front of him. Now he had TWO battles to fight, and neither one of his opponents seemed to be paying him any attention at all! He stalked up behind Nesumi and grabbed the shards, surprised at the lack of resistance the trembling youkai had put up. "Feh." He tossed the shards back to Kagome, who had ran over with her archery set in case she was needed. She took the case and slid it into safekeeping. She had hardly turned away when she heard a gasp of pain, and looked to see one green poisoned claw emerging from the back of the jewel thief. She shuddered at the sight.  
  
Inu Yasha growled as he watched Nesumi's sudden death, knowing that it was his turn now to fight his half-brother. Sesshoumaru pulled his claw from the dead youkai's stomach, surveying his quick work, and cast an indifferent glace at his hanyou sibling. Inu Yasha was on guard, and his hand was on the hilt of Tetsuseiga. "I see you are still unwilling to give me that which you cannot handle." He didn't move otherwise, and he knew that Inu Yasha was waiting for him to draw his own weapon. Sesshoumaru didn't.  
  
Inu Yasha was stricken when Sesshoumaru turned his back to him and started to walk away. Wasn't he going to try to take Tetsuseiga again? As if hearing the unasked question, Sesshoumaru spoke tiredly to the hanyou behind him. "I, Sesshoumaru, merely came to repay this thief." He motioned to the corpse. "I will take that which belongs to me another day. I, Sesshoumaru, tire of your presence now." With that he headed back and around, keeping upwind until he was at a distance, then turning towards the safe haven he had set for Jaken to watch over Rin in. It was nearly time for him to head them home again, for he had business to attend to before he could spare the time of fighting Inu Yasha once more.  
  
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Kagome sighed in relief as Sesshoumaru left them, glad that she wouldn't have to watch Inu Yasha in another battle for the sword. As cheerfully as she could, she said "Well, now that that's over with, we can head out again for the shards!" As an afterthought, to get her hanyou's mind off of his brother, she added "Oh, we need to stay close to the well though. In... three days, I think, I have to go home again for about a week." She grinned playfully at Inu Yasha, until she heard the growl that escaped his throat.  
  
"I-inu Yasha?" She asked, afraid of his scowl and the sound she heard coming from him. He dug his claws into his arm, and clashed his attack at the well in a fit of fury. "NEVER! I'm sick of you always disappearing into that cursed well, wench, and now you won't go back! You can't! So now, you can stay and find the cursed jewel, got it?" His growl dared her to say anything, and in her own rage, she took up that dare. "You... you... OSUWARI!" She watched him fall into the ground again, and ran towards the remains of the well. Maybe it still worked... maybe...  
  
She looked up at the destroyed top of the well as she landed on the remains of the bottom. She knew by the sky above, and Inu Yasha's curses, that she was still in the past. He had done it. She was trapped. She felt a tear creep down her cheek, but she didn't mind it. She just stared at the ground, willing it to open up and send her home again, just one more time. She could hear the shouts above her, noting Miroku and Sango's voices arguing with Inu Yasha, and she could feel Shippou on her lap, hugging onto her, speaking words of comfort that went past her consciousness. She closed her eyes, failing to trap the tears that rushed forth suddenly. As loudly as she could, she screamed the word, and Inu Yasha fell once more, doing his best to ignore the sound of pain she hid behind the command.  
  
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Sesshoumaru could hear the scream, and the undercurrent it held made him curious. 'It wouldn't hurt to take a look back and see what my hanyou half-brother did this time.' He gave into the curiosity without leaving his usual expression. He turned back towards the clearing, making it to the last sheltering shadows of the trees in less than a minute. 'Interesting' he thought, looking at the destroyed well. He hadn't taken the time to find out what was so important about that well, so that they had camped around it for days while the now-dead youkai thief had waited to attack. Now, however, he was more than curious. His brother's wench had gotten out of the well and was proceeding to scream every profanity a woman should never even hear, much less say, at Inu Yasha, who sat down and took it all without so much as looking at her.  
  
"I've HAD IT!" Kagome screamed at him. "You can hunt this stupid jewel on your own!" She shot the case of jewel shards at him and spun about on her heel, running as fast as she could to get away from him. She didn't notice Sesshoumaru sidestep her as he found a safer hiding place, away from her path of travel. She ran, followed first by Shippou, then Inu Yasha, and tailed by the rest of the group as they each had their own idea who to stop. Taking into fact that Kagome was headed straight towards Rin and Jaken's hidden camp, Sesshoumaru leapt forward and ran ahead of them all, stopping just out of Kagome's sight, but being right in her way. She would stop at the sight of him, and he would leave just before Inu Yasha had the chance to spot him. He knew the wench would be occupied with his brother, and most likely she would run to a different direction to get away again.  
  
Kagome never even saw Sesshoumaru, even though she should have. She could see clearly enough ahead of herself, however, she had her mind on the image of the well, slashed apart and ruined. She ran right into Sesshoumaru, who was for once caught by surprise at her folly. Before he could even respond (which he planned to do by sending her flying into the nearest tree) she grabbed at one of his swords, not caring which it was, and turned her back to a, yet again, shocked Sesshoumaru. She held the sword in an aggressive stance, causing all her pursuers to stop dead in their tracks. Shippou whimpered at this side of his sweet Kagome, and Miroku and Sango just shared a look of disbelief.  
  
"What the hell?!" Inu Yasha growled at Kagome, but his face betrayed his confusion. She wouldn't really attack him... would she? He mentally smacked himself for destroying the well. He hadn't thought that in his anger he would let himself lose control like that. His pride, however, was far too stubborn to apologize, especially when Sesshoumaru stood directly behind her. That fool, didn't she know she was in danger just to have him at her back?!  
  
Sesshoumaru refrained from striking her down, mostly in amusement of her bravery to take his sword, and in the joy of seeing his brother gape at her like the fool he was. However, he wouldn't keep completely silent either. That was below him, to let a pathetic human take advantage of him in such a way.  
  
"Girl, do you realize that you just stole my sword? I, Sesshoumaru, shall have to pay you in kind for that." He raised his chin to glance down his nose at her. To his surprise, she didn't even turn around to look at him, though he was pleased to see a shiver run down her spine. He could smell her fear, and her anger. He even caught the scent of her confusion, and knew that even she didn't know why she held his sword against Inu Yasha.  
  
"Kagome..." Inu Yasha took on a lighter tone of voice, controlling his anger. "You aren't safe there. Just come here and let me take care of... my brother." He growled the last words before going back to his soft tone. "We can discuss this after that. Come on, Kagome..." He tried to look pleading to her, but indifferent to his brother, and managed to mix up and send them the wrong looks in their minds.  
  
"Leave me alone, Inu Yasha. Just go away. I'd rather serve Sesshoumaru than help you to get the jewel shards now..." Kagome spat the word 'you', trying to be as hurtful as possible; and succeeding. Inu Yasha looked stunned, then hurt. Sesshoumaru smirked, thinking that he could make use of this. "I, Sesshoumaru, shall keep you to your word, wench." All at once, he grabbed her around the waist and took his sword back from her, replacing the Tenseiga which she had taken from him. He leapt from Inu Yasha's grasp and ran at an angle from his true destination, losing Inu Yasha rather quickly. His brother's wench belonged to him now. And she had already said she would serve him. He didn't let the smile cross his lips, but had he been anyone else it would have shown.  
  
He altered his course towards Rin and Jaken, noticing that Kagome had slumped in his arms. 'Fainted.' He registered in his mind. Somewhere back in the forest, he heard the angry growl of his half-brother, and smirked.  
  
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NOTES: Okay, so now we're off! Tell me what you think, and please check back because this is still only the beginning! Read and review please! Thanks! 


	3. The New Group

NOTES: Wow! So many reviews... I feel so proud ^.^ Thanks so much! I promise there will be even more surprises along the way between all the characters. Also, just for reference... I have no clue where to place this fic. It really won't fit in with any timeline, so don't worry about trying to figure it out unless you really just wanna think about something... lol. Well, anyways, have fun reading! ^_^  
  
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inu Yasha and co., not I. So don't sue me pweese. I need my dollars to buy more anime and manga stuffs! ^.~ Thanks!  
  
Oh, and to Micah17: The reason she fainted wasn't because of her anger. Imagine how fast Sesshoumaru would have to be moving to grab her and put the sword away, and get away before Inu Yasha could respond. The force to her stomach made her pass out. ^^; Sorry I didn't make that too clear.  
  
By the way... does anyone think I should write responses to each review I get? Tell me! Thanks again. ^_^ Enjoy!  
  
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Kagome could hear voices as she came awake, but she kept her eyes closed to the sunlight. Her head felt fuzzy inside and she wondered why she couldn't match the voices to any of her friends' voices. She yawned, and immediately the voices stopped. She felt a small pair of arms wrap around her own in a weak effort to pull her up. "Shippou...?" Kagome opened her eyes and shot wide awake at the sight of a little girl grinning madly at her.   
  
Rin grinned back at Kagome, and Kagome stood up. "Where...?" She didn't get to finish because Rin started up in her own excited line of talk. "Rin wondered when you would wake up! Sesshoumaru-sama went to get breakfast and told Rin not to wake you up yet. Jaken said that you wouldn't ever wake up, but Rin knew you were going to wake up and now we can play games together!" She grinned madly at Jaken, who was scowling at his misfortune. Now he had TWO human females to deal with. He managed by pretending he didn't notice them there.  
  
Kagome sat back down, trying to smile kindly at little Rin, but trying at the same time to recall how she had ended up with Sesshoumaru's group. As her body woke up more, so did her mind, and she remembered about the jewel thief, then Inu Yasha ready to fight Sesshoumaru, then... then....   
  
She dropped her face into her hands and wept. She cried and cried, not even noticing a worried Rin sitting next to her and gently stoking the weeping woman's arm. Kagome didn't even know how long she cried, but by the time she quit she was out of tears and could feel how red her face was from the tears. She took her hands from her face long enough to use her sleeve as a towel to dry her face, then looked at Rin. The child was still beside her, with some fruit and bread wrapped in a cloth at her feet. Part of her mind heard Rin ask if she was okay now, but the greater part of it realized that if the food was there, then so was...  
  
Sesshoumaru was standing just a foot behind where Rin was sitting. He was looking down at her, in the most literal sense of the words. "Are you quite finished yet?" He calmly asked; though he didn't wait for the nod she gave. He could tell just by her face that she was more than a little confused. He liked it that way. He had the advantage. However, if he was to make her his servant then he had best remind her of her own words before she did anything foolish.  
  
"Eat, girl. You slept two nights and a day, and wake only to make a fool of your human emotions." She didn't glare at him as he remembered she would normally have done, but instead she looked down at the fruit and bread wrapped by her own feet and watched as Rin began to eat her own meal. 'I may as well...' Kagome thought, trying to ignore how sick she felt at the moment. Forgetting for a moment that she had company around her, she spoke to herself. "Baka... you even left your bag with them... you can't get home and you can't even have the last of the items that you'll ever get from your home. What a fool..." She bit down on her bread in silence, and for a while that's all she had.  
  
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Miroku and Sango sat by each other under a tree, sharing a troubled silence. The monk didn't even try to grope her... he had behaved himself since Kagome had been taken away. Sango sighed, breaking the silence. "I still say that it's his fault. His brother surprising him was not a good reason to forget himself and seal the well like that! She has every right to be upset." Miroku nodded to her, but added, "Still, she didn't need to invite Sesshoumaru to kidnap her like that. We don't really have the right to even go after her because it was her choice to leave."  
  
Sango looked up at the branches above. "Still, she was upset too. I think we should go get her back. Maybe Shippou was right... maybe we can fix the well? I mean he only cut it open. It's worth a shot. She's just... she's not..."  
  
"Safe with him?" Miroku offered. "I agree. We should go, but maybe we shouldn't bring Inu Yasha with us. They have a tendency to be... stubborn around each other." Sango nodded. He continued "What about Sesshoumaru? We can't fight him. Not as we are. In that case, we need Inu Yasha. So that leaves us at a loss." Sango nodded again, followed by another sigh.  
  
"We need to do this soon though. It's not safe for her to be with him, just as it's not good for Shippou to act as he has in her absence." She motioned towards Kaede's home, where they had taken Kagome's backpack for safekeeping as they asked for advice, which the old woman had been unable to provide. They were on their own in this.  
  
Shippou had spent the last two nights sleeping curled up inside Kagome's bag, keeping as close to her scent as he could. He tried to pretend nothing had happened by pretending he was in her arms, though he had cried to himself more than he had slept. He was afraid for Kagome, and afraid OF Inu Yasha. The hanyou had spent his time killing any youkai who may or may not have a jewel shard, trying in his anger to prove to Kagome and the others that he really didn't need their help. He'd do this on his own. So what if he had made a mistake, and was lonely now? So what! He didn't need friends, not any of them!  
  
However, each in their own place, they seemed to sigh at once in the longing that they would wake up and this had never happened.  
  
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Kagome was in front of a small stream, trying to wash the redness from her eyes. Rin was not far away. Jaken had insisted that Sesshoumaru's servant be presentably clean, for a human, and Kagome was in no mood to argue. She remembered her words to Inu Yasha...   
  
**Flashback**  
  
"I'd rather serve Sesshoumaru than help you to get the jewel shards"  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
She coughed at her reflection and vowed to keep up her end of the deal until Inu Yasha came to apologize. Besides, if Rin were any example, then she could count on being well protected until then. All she had to do was be submissive. She would be a 'weak human' for Inu Yasha's brother, if that would get back at Inu Yasha for taking her entire life away. What would her mother think...? She shuddered and stood up, turning to call Rin to her.  
  
So, of course, she would turn to see Sesshoumaru right before her. Rin was at his feet, smiling and trying to convince him to look at her quick work with water and dirt. To Kagome's amazement, he looked, even nodding his head to Rin to show that he liked it (or was pretending to like it).  
  
Kagome bowed slightly, deciding it was time to start her act of loyalty. "A-arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama, for taking me away from your... from Inu Yasha." She nearly growled the hanyou's name, finding once again that her anger had lessened not at all. She nearly missed the quick smirk that passed across Sesshoumaru's face. 'This shall be easy,' he thought to himself.  
  
"Come, girl. It is time to leave." Rin would automatically follow him, he knew, but this new addition to the group would have to get used to his routines, and quickly. He paid her no mind as she tried to catch up to his quickly paced walk, though he noticed how she made a quick offer to carry Rin if she wanted, to which the child declined. Rin was used to this. Kagome was too, though her friends would always wait for her if she fell behind...   
  
As for Jaken, he was but a nuisance to Kagome from the start. Kagome had been trying to be a humble, weak human for their minds, but the little imp of a demon was getting on her last nerve. She noticed that he made it a point to put her down for every time she slipped behind again, or when the wind shifted to bring her "putrid human scent" to his nose. She decided that later, when Sesshoumaru would leave for food again, she'd make it a point to leave a nice bruise on his head. She grinned at the thought, using her time to decide just how many times to punch him. Jaken, as if feeling the violent aura coming from Kagome's thoughts, moved away from her and chose that moment to ignore the human. Sesshoumaru pretended not to notice anything, as amusing as this had been already.  
  
This promised to be very, very fun for him.  
  
He could even get used to the wench. All he had to decide was what her service would be, though it was good on his mind to have her take care of Rin, leaving Jaken to do real youkai work (away from the child). Yes, this could be very nice indeed. He would have to remember to thank his half-brother later for so easily handing this miko over to him so readily.   
  
That was when Rin decided to take up her role of asking Kagome so many questions that the miko had hardly enough time to attempt to answer one before another was fired at her. Kagome grinned, knowing that she liked the girl already, as she tried her best to supply a quick answer to Rin's every question.   
  
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Sango and Miroku had managed to get Shippou to come with them, Kirara carrying them all as well as Kagome's bag, as they went to find Kagome. Kaede had promised to look into the tales of the well, and see if there were any way to fix what had been done, and thus the search began.  
  
Inu Yasha, not far away at the moment, followed them from a distance, certain that he would do well in getting his woman to come back to him. He was making enemies too quickly by killing every demon he met, and had decided that he needed Kagome for the hunt. That was his reason, and he convinced himself that it was his only reason. Kagome HAD to come back. She always did before...  
  
Shippou shivered and used the excuse to crawl back into Kagome's pack, curling again into her scent and drifting into memories of her kindnesses to him. He vowed to himself the even if Kagome didn't come back, he'd stay with her and protect her. She was all he had...  
  
Thus he fell asleep, remembering the same moments that Kagome was trying so hard at the same time to forget.  
  
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NOTES: Thus the story continues! Yes, it was uneventful, but now she's settled in and the real story can start! Yay! Read and review please! Thanks! 


	4. Game Over

NOTES: Thanks for all the tips put into the reviews. I'll try to focus a bit more on Inu Yasha's thoughts (I didn't even notice how much I was leaving the poor guy out! lol) Also, I'll try to keep only one person's spoken words in a paragraph so it's easier to distinguish. ^^ Arigato!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inu Yasha and co., not I. So don't sue me pweese. I need my dollars to buy more anime and manga stuffs! ^.~ Thanks!  
  
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Inu Yasha was camped about half a mile away from Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara. He sat in a tree, staring at the night sky, reminiscing. He was thinking on all the times he and Kagome had fought before, trying to see what had solved each of those arguments. Come to think of it, most of them were never solved. One or the other would just happen to get their way, and the issue was dropped. He sighed. 'This time...' he promised himself, 'this time I vow to apologize. Kagome would never stay mad at me if I just told her I was sorry...'   
  
He was trying to think of how he'd run out of cover once he saw her, and he would run over to her and get her away from Sesshoumaru. Then he'd apologize most valiantly and she'd forgive him and come back. Then they'd go get the jewel shards again, kill Naraku, and things would be good. He grinned to himself. Yes, even if she couldn't get home again, she'd just stay with him, right? He could protect her, and she fit in a lot more than she wanted to think.  
  
He drifted into sleep, still in his thoughts of mixed memories and fantasies of the future.  
  
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Now that they were on Kagome's trail, Miroku was acting more like himself. He had the handprint on his cheek to prove it. "Ah, but it is always worth it!" he mused to himself, aloud.  
  
"Is it now?" Asked Sango, trying not to laugh at the monk's antics. "Then I guess I have to make my punishments more harsh, ne?" She grinned. Miroku put his hands up in mock defeat, trying to make his grin look like a pout. Sango laughed.  
  
Shippou watched this from afar, grinning a bit at their foolishness, but not able to quite get into it because he couldn't get his mind away from his fears for Kagome's safety. He didn't trust them to get there in time, and he certainly didn't trust Sesshoumaru to take care of Kagome. He had seen too readily how willing he had been to kill his own brother, so why would Kagome be any different? Shippou curled up to sleep, having promised the others that he'd try to quit being so dependent on Kagome's backpack for sleep.  
  
Sango and Miroku noticed that the kitsune had fallen asleep, so they decided they should sleep as well.  
  
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Kagome sneezed. She was just unable to sleep tonight. The flowers they camped by didn't help. Something about this kind just bugged her nose. No big problem though. They'd be moving on tomorrow. She sat up, intent on taking her time to bathe in the stream nearby. She hadn't been able to yesterday or the day before, so this was her chance. She undressed and crawled into the stream, silencing herself from yelping of the cold, least she should wake anyone up. Rin seemed to enjoy sleeping next to Kagome, and Jaken liked to stay as far away as he was allowed. She didn't know where Sesshoumaru slept. He was always out of sight, but she didn't really mind.  
  
She rubbed her aching feet. She could almost swear that Sesshoumaru took the roughest routes just to make her walk more. She grinned at herself, remembering how Inu Yasha always slowed down without too much comment just when she would start getting tired of walking. She shook her head, knowing that she could make herself cry again if she let herself think on it too much. All he has to do is show up and apologize. She could bet he was going to come after her. That was almost a given. Just for an apology... she couldn't forgive him for what he had done unless she knew he hadn't meant it.  
  
Getting out of the stream and grabbing for her nightclothes (Sesshoumaru had brought her "proper" clothes to wear in her travels with him) and got dressed. She decided she still couldn't sleep, so she sat on the shore and looked at the reflection of the stars on the water. She thought back to Inu Yasha again. "Hurry, baka... my feet just can't take this much more." She whispered to herself, and then stifled a bemused laugh.  
  
"Must you speak to yourself?" Came a nearly monotone voice from behind her. She started and turned to face Sesshoumaru. She had been having a harder and harder time trying to be submissive, and she could tell that no one was being fooled anymore by her humble act. Sesshoumaru could probably smell her defiance, but he hadn't mentioned anything yet. However, at this particular moment, she felt more sincere in her behavior. Probably from the lack of sleep, she thought.  
  
"Gomen, Sesshoumaru-sama. I didn't realize you were there..." She thought for a moment, and then blurted out "How long were you there?"  
  
"I've been here, trying to sleep until you woke up." He glared at her, daring her to act up, though still knowing what was going to come.  
  
"NANI?! You could have SAID something!" She blurted out before remembering that she was supposed to be the 'weak, submissive human'. However, she was fuming at him. She had bathed in front of him, and he had just watched! He was as bad as Miroku! Blushing furiously, she tried to get around him to go to her sleeping spot quickly. Better to sleep this away...  
  
Sesshoumaru grabbed her arm. She looked at him, more than a little afraid. Was he going to kill her this time, for shouting at him? She shuddered at the thought.   
  
"You aren't loyal to me." So he knew. She looked into his eyes, and knew that it was a statement. Even a dare for her to deny it. She decided not to deny it. Better to be honest, just in case. At least at this moment. She racked her brain for some way to reply to this with as little risk to herself as possible, but he interrupted her thoughts by turning and walking back to the camp. She followed wordlessly.  
  
He woke Rin and Jaken, as Kagome wondered what he was doing. He didn't say anything more to them than what they were to wake up and follow him. Sesshoumaru took Rin's hand, as she was too tired to understand that she was even going anywhere, and had Jaken follow him. Kagome gawked for a moment before walking after them. She followed for a few minutes until something that resembled a cloud appeared under their feet and lifted them from the ground. Without Kagome.  
  
"Nani?" She asked as she saw them rising. Without thinking, she lunged at the cloud, knowing in her mind that her hands would probably pass through it and she'd fall back to the ground, left behind. However, her hand caught on something and she clutched at it for the life of her. Jaken nearly fell down to the rapidly receding ground as Kagome's full weight was hanging from the end of his staff. If it wasn't for Sesshoumaru having grabbed the top of the staff, Jaken may have been left behind as well. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in question at the foolish miko, who would probably die now, as soon as her strength waned and her grip released. The ground was far below them.  
  
"You won't leave me behind! I refuse!" Kagome shouted, fear making her hold on the staff much stronger than it would normally have been. She tried to pull herself up, but found that the cloud wouldn't hold her. She would have to keep hanging onto the staff. Unless...  
  
Kagome grinned in her mischief. If he planned on letting her drop to her death, at least she'd humiliate him first. She lunged upwards again and grabbed a hold of Sesshoumaru's leg, pulling herself up and wrapping one arm around his fluffy tail. Sesshoumaru growled, sending shivers along her spine.  
  
"Release me, girl." She could hear his attempt to control his voice. 'So even the great Sesshoumaru can get upset. Good.' She thought.  
  
"I told you, you weren't going to leave me, and if this is the way to keep up here, then I'm willing to do this." She stuck out her tongue at his back. Rin was asleep at Sesshoumaru's feet, and Jaken was trying to decide if it would be safe to use his staff to hit Kagome until she released his master. He decided against it, least he miss and be tossed down to his death by the already-upset youkai lord.  
  
Kagome wasn't stupid. She knew that he could easily kill her, and she was almost certain that he would. However, she was in a lose-lose situation, so she took the option that would be best to her name and worst to his, so long as it'd have the same fall at the end. To her surprise, however... he only pushed her down to the cloud, and she stayed there. She sat there, afraid to move, least she fall, and kept one hand clutched to the leg of his clothing (just in case!).  
  
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Shippou woke up to find himself gazing into the night sky, when he saw a familiar object fly across his vision. 'Kagome!' He could just see her, looking bewildered, sitting at Sesshoumaru's feet. He got up and ran in the direction they had been flying, only stopping long enough to draw a quick arrow pointing in his direction of departure before leaving his friends behind.  
  
'I can catch up with her...' he convinced himself as he followed the shrinking figure of Kagome in the sky...  
  
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NOTES: Ok, just so you know... starting on the next chapter I'll be putting replies to reviews under this section. That way, where it says "REVIEWS:" anyone who doesn't want to read the replies can just skip on to the next chapter without worrying about missing something important. Also, I'm not going to reply to past reviews, just because I'm lazy... heh. ^_^ I hope this chapter was enjoyable, if a little short. Still, it's not as boring as the last chapter, ne? Lol. Please read and review! ^__^ 


	5. Followed

NOTES: Hai hai... twas a little longer a wait this time around. Gomen, but I just have more extra time on weekends to type this up than I do on weekdays (mostly because my weekday time is earlier in the day and I snooze thru it... ^^; heh) so it takes a little longer to get the next chapter up. Anywho... thanks for the reviews! They mean a lot to me, they do! ^_^ Hope you all like this chapter! ^^  
  
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi is the owner of Inu Yasha... if I owned the show it'd probably stink and no one'd like it. IN fact... it probably would never have been created, so... I dun own it. ^^; This fic is mine, tho, so enjoy! ^__^  
  
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Sesshoumaru landed just outside what Kagome could only describe as a mansion. The building was huge, even by her own time's standards, making it even more impressive here in the past. She couldn't help but wonder exactly how much of the yard and surrounding forest was considered to be the yard of this particular building. Rin was still asleep, and Kagome made a move to lift her and carry her, only then realizing that she was still clutching onto the leg of Sesshoumaru's clothing. "G-gomen..." she stammered as she let go, avoiding the glare she was receiving in return. She bent over to pick up little Rin, who murmured sleepily in protest, and stood with the child in her arms.  
  
Sesshoumaru walked inside, already knowing that the human would follow. He watched with some satisfaction as Kagome gawked at the size of his property; for some reason he liked to see her surprised. Her entire being seemed to light up when she was caught off-guard, in both good and bad ways. Somehow... she was interesting to watch. To study, he told himself.  
  
He led her around a corner and motioned slightly to a door. "That is where you will sleep." He didn't wait for a reply before moving on, though he only managed a few steps before he stopped to wait on the girl who had opened the door to look inside.  
  
Kagome looked around the room, a little shocked. She had easily been expecting a servant's quarters, or something of the like. This room was not only not meant for servants; it was almost meant for royalty! It was very clean and, added to that, it smelled nicely. She noticed there was no window, and wondered about it. She lay Rin on the bed, noting that it seemed larger than it should. Made for two people, perhaps. She went back to the door, intending to close it and go to bed, and only then did she notice that she was being waited on.  
  
"Oh! I didn't realize... gomen." She bowed in apology, blushing at having been so rude as to ignore him, but also annoyed that there was more. She was tired and there was a bed behind her...  
  
Sesshoumaru noticed that she wasn't carrying Rin anymore, and told her to close the door. She obeyed, though he caught the scent of her annoyance as she complied. He could guess why. He headed farther down the hall, until he was nearly to the end. "These are my chambers. Study on this side, sleeping on this. You will not disturb me on anything short of an emergency." She nodded, obviously eager to see inside. He noted, with some satisfaction, her disappointment in his passing the rooms unopened as he headed back the way they came.  
  
He led her though a different hallway and to the outside, indicating the bath houses. "You will need another person to keep the flame while you bathe, if you desire hot water. There are servants to ask." He motioned to his own, larger bath house. "That is off-limits." He turned to go back inside, and she followed wordlessly. He led her around, pointing out the servant's hallway, the dining room, and other such places of importance, and giving any rules to each with as little wording as he could. Then he dismissed her to sleep, heading down to his own bedchamber to sleep away the last few hours of the night.  
  
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Shippou had barely managed to keep up enough to still see Kagome and Sesshoumaru, but had managed to get far enough to spot the outline of the building they had landed near. Noting the size, even from this distance, he reminded himself that it was perfectly worthy of the Lord of the Western Lands. Without interference, he may make it there by the time the lands awoke for breakfast...  
  
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Kagome awoke to a knock on the door. It took her a moment to remember where she was, and she wondered how far into the day it was. The knock came to the door again and this time it opened without warning. A young (and probably weak) youkai female stood in the doorway. "Sesshoumaru-sama told me to come wake the humans for breakfast." She nearly spat the word "humans", and instantly Kagome knew she was probably not going to be most welcome here. The door was closed before Kagome thought to reply, so she awoke Rin and looked around. Were they to wear their nightclothes? She realized that in their haste to leave last night they had left behind all the garments Sesshoumaru had brought for them, but the ones they were wearing.  
  
"What is Kagome-neesan looking for?" asked Rin, who was now awake and looking at her.  
  
"Oh, Rin-chan! Good morning. I was just looking for some clothes to wear for the day, before we miss breakfast." She watched as Rin looked about to burst with laugher.   
  
"Rin knows where the clothes are!" She ran over to the bed and pulled a chest out from under it. Kagome cast a glance under to see a few more such chests hidden away there, and looked inside the now-open one that Rin had. There were many little outfits all perfectly fit for Rin hidden away in that chest, but none Kagome's size. Kagome told Rin to get dressed while she looked to see if the other chests held her own sized clothing.  
  
She pulled out the next chest to find that it held a child's clothing, but for a little boy, not a girl. She wondered about it, but brushed it aside. One thing at a time. The next chest had a woman's clothing in it, just slightly larger than Kagome was, but not enough to be a problem. The clothes fit, so she took out a pretty blue kimono and wore it.  
  
Breakfast time!  
  
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Sesshoumaru had eaten and was heading back to his study when Kagome finally pulled Rin out of their room. He stopped in his tracks, a small growl escaping him before he regained his control. Kagome must have noticed, because she was suddenly into one of her wordy explanations about not having clothes and finding these in a chest under the bed. Rin was wearing the clothes he had placed there for her, but he had honestly forgotten about what the miko was going to wear. He had certainly not expected to see her wearing the garments left behind by Inu Yasha's human mother.  
  
Without explaining for her why he had stopped, he passed them by and went to his study. Only when Kagome lost sight of him did she turn again and take Rin to the dining room she had been shown the night before.  
  
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Kagome stared at the room, noticing that there were plates of food already set out for the two of them... next to the empty plates at the head of the table. Surely they weren't to eat at Sesshoumaru's table? Not that she minded, of course. She merely wondered at the change from servant, to seemingly guest. Certainly she wasn't his guest here? 'Better to be a guest' she reminded herself.  
  
They sat down to eat, barely making it through half the meal before they could hear almost all the servants rushing outside. Of the few words she could catch as she tried to follow, keeping Rin close to her, she caught "kitsune child" and "caught 'im trying to sneak in". Her heart missed a beat as she got outside and pushed through the crowd. If it wasn't for her being a "filthy human", and the servants making a point of not coming into contact with her, she may not have been able to get through the crowd. However, she did make it, just in time to see the kitsune that was being beaten for show by the guard youkai.  
  
"Shippou!" Kagome ran out, still holding onto Rin's hand, and grabbed the kitsune child away from the guards holding him down. "Get away from him! Shippou... Shippou! Can you hear me?" She cradled the beaten child in her arms, trying her hardest not to cry when he didn't answer her pleas. She knew he was alive... he had the vital signs, however, in her anger she was ready to maim and slaughter the guards who had beat him, and the crowd who had been watching it for fun.  
  
"How DARE you!" She screamed at the guards, who seemed suddenly wary of her as she stood holding Shippou, as if he were an infant, in one arm, and held onto a bewildered Rin's hand with the other. Then she registered a voice on the other side of the crowd and watched as it seemed to vanish completely, guards and all, to reveal Sesshoumaru on the other side. He walked towards them.  
  
"Sesshoumaru..." Kagome was doing worse now in her attempt to hold back her tears. "Is there anywhere that I could..." She looked down at the broken kitsune cradled in her arm as if that would explain her intentions. Sesshoumaru even seemed to understand, though nothing in his expression could have given that away.  
  
"This way." Was all she got as he walked towards the building again. She followed.  
  
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Inu Yasha was cursing at Miroku right now, who was doing his best to keep his own calm against the insults he was receiving. "Inu Yasha, you were as asleep as we were when he left us."  
  
"You were still closer to him! What if he saw Kagome? And we don't even know which way he went!" Inu Yasha growled.  
  
Sango chose this moment to cut in. "Actually, we have some clue. At least, if you use your nose, Inu Yasha." She ignored the glare he shot her. "We'd have had a better option if his signal hadn't been erased." She motioned to the obvious traces of a foot dragging over what had been Shippou's arrow, though they hadn't had a chance to see the direction it had pointed because they had awoken to find it blurred away into a circle of dust.  
  
Inu Yasha grumbled, but had to agree that it was a start. He went over to the once-was-arrow and put his nose to it, quickly recoiling and looking about them fervently. Ignoring the questioning protests of Sango and Miroku, he jumped up into a tree branch and scanned the area, saying only one word that told his entire reasoning to the two below him, as well as telling who had destroyed Shippou's marker.  
  
"Kikyou..."  
  
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NOTES: Oooh, I think that was my first evil cliffy! Mwuahahahaaa! Okay, okay... so not too much happened. This was a relatively short chapter, and mostly just plot-building, though I did add that last little twist! Don't worry though, because once I finish the next chapter (should it all go as planned) then there will be a nice chapter to read with some interesting turns. You'll get to find out why Kikyou erased the arrow, as well as why the guards were briefly afraid of Kagome, plus... other stuffs. ^^ Wh00t!  
  
REVIEWS: (Yes! My new little section is arrived! Bwuah!)  
  
DemonLady1: Thanks! ^^ I would move them together sooner, but I am very afraid of getting out of character too quickly. I'd like to be able to see how it could happen, instead of going so fast they are different people. ^.~ lol  
  
erin: Thankies! I promise to update as my schedule allows (which isn't too bad! ^^) I love Sess/Kagome fics too, always so interesting because of the persons involved. That's why I'm inspired into writing this one. ^_^  
  
pruningshears: Ah, this is definitely a Kagome/Sess fic! Very much so! I'm glad it's confusing in that way though... it means I'm not getting too off character, I think! ^__~ lol. Thanks for the review! (And I'm glad I was able to convey her reasoning there at the end for ya... ^^ It took a while to decide exactly how to get her out of her act of wanting to stay with him, to really wanting to stay with him.)  
  
Chelsea: Thanks! I shall expect your review each chapter! ^__^ Mwuahahaa.. I shall hold you to your word! ^.~ Oh, and I was a little mean to Shippou, wasn't I? Especially if you count this chapter... I feel evil now... Shame on me! ~_~ Don't worry... I won't be so mean to him next chapter... And lastly... DON'T REMIND ME OF SCHOOL!!! *dies* That's the last thing I need... lol ^^; I hate my school... Maybe I'll hafta make a lot of fics now... just as many as I read... get away from the cursed Cockroach High... x_x  
  
That's all the new reviews, and to all the reviewers from before I started doing this, thanks so much for the reviews because I'm a quitter. I'd have taken this off if I had been ignored. ^__^ Arigato! 


	6. Fun

NOTES: I've begun to notice a trend in my chapters... first I do a plot-builder, then an interesting chapter, then another plot-builder, then another interesting chapter, then... lol. Gomen! Anyways, I hope you like this chapter, and I plan to add some action (of more than one kind! ^_~) later on in the story!  
  
Also, does anyone have information on Kouga, Rin, and maybe Naraku's "children"? I've only seen one Kouga episode, and none at all with the "children" or Rin, so I'm running on nothing for that kinda stuff, should I ever want to use it (in this fic or others), and I'd be very grateful to anyone who may send me info. Thanks!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inu Yasha. I own ten dollars, a box of pocky, and a teddy bear. If I'm sued, then ten dollars are history, the pocky shall be eaten before anyone gets it, and the teddy bear will have to be pried from my cold dead hands! So THERE! ^__^ Heheheee  
  
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Kagome heard a groan, and rushed back to Shippou's side in fear that his condition had worsened. However, instead of one of the many frightening scenes her imagination had placed in her head, she saw that the kitsune child was beginning to wake up. Rin, who had contented herself with watching Kagome tend to Shippou, jumped up in earnest at his wakening.   
  
Shippou sat up, grinning with joy at seeing Kagome safe, and beside him. He would have leapt to her, except that he ached all over and was in little mood to play at the moment. Kagome took care of the hugging part... he was immediately in her embrace. "Shippou-chan, you scared me! You should have known better than to sneak onto Sesshoumaru's land all alone like that!" However, her tone wasn't harsh at all.  
  
Kagome looked back at Rin, silently inviting her to sit on the bed beside the both of them. She smiled as the girl accepted and then turned to Shippou. Kagome looked at him and asked "So are you going to tell me about your trip here or not?" Shippou nodded and started talking.  
  
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Sesshoumaru was heading down the hall towards Kagome's room. He had allowed her the items she would need to tend to her friend's wound, though he knew it blemished his ruthless demeanor. He had already convinced himself that he had only permitted it because Rin had seen the incident, and he wouldn't let the child witness a death by those means. He also refused to think about why he would care what she saw, anyways.  
  
He stopped in front of the room door when he heard Shippou talking about his arrival. "...And then Sango hit Miroku on the head again, and then I went to sleep. Then I woke up and saw you on this cloud-looking thing with Sesshoumaru and I followed you here!" It sounded like the child was finished talking, and he heard Kagome prodding for more information. Sesshoumaru was waiting to see if he would hear any news of his weak half-brother. Information could be very valuable, if used correctly.  
  
"Shippou, what about Miroku and Sango? You just left them? They must be worried sick already!" Kagome's voice said.  
  
"Oh, I drew an arrow facing the way I left so they could follow me. I bet they show up on Kirara any minute now!" gloated Shippou. Sesshoumaru heard Kagome sigh, and could tell that it was the end of this story time. He wondered about how valid it may be that Inu Yasha's group could arrive any time now, but ignored the thought for the moment. Better to leave that alone until they showed up. He had his guard, and they would last at least long enough for him to notice their arrival.  
  
He turned and left them to themselves, passing the room and heading towards his own.  
  
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"Kikyou..." Inu Yasha was searching what he could see from his position on the tree. Miroku and Sango backed to each other and each readied to attack, not ever trusting the undead woman that always seemed to mesmerize the hanyou.  
  
The said woman stepped out from seemingly nowhere, and Inu Yasha jumped down to stand facing her. For the longest of minutes they did nothing but stare at each other, neither seeming to notice the other eyes on them. Finally, Sango broke the silence for them.  
  
"What brings you here, miko?" Sango's tone was rather unfriendly. Kikyou stood a moment, not seeming to notice the question, before she turned her gaze from her once-lover to look at the speaker.  
  
"I have come for Inu Yasha. Leave us be, youkai exterminator." She stated, simply and without emotion. Inu Yasha was still watching Kikyou, not quite daring to say anything yet. Not with his friends around to hear and speak of later, or with Kikyou around to hear and misunderstand. Miroku broke the silence that followed that.  
  
"You were the one to erase Shippou's marking on the ground, am I correct?" He had one hand on the prayer beads that he kept over his cursed hand. Kikyou did nothing more than nod momentarily to this, her gaze on Inu Yasha once again. Miroku wanted more, and made it clear by asking her: "Why?"  
  
Inu Yasha growled a warning to Miroku and Sango, hoping they'd leave for a while so he could deal with Kikyou on his own. However, Kikyou decided to answer the monk's question.  
  
"The kitsune child ran off after my reincarnation. I need Inu Yasha here, with me, not following HER. I could point the both of you in her direction, but Inu Yasha must stay with me." Kikyou seemed to hold no emotion when she said this. Miroku nodded his understanding, knowing that Inu Yasha would choose on his own, but deciding to play along until they knew where Kagome was.  
  
Kikyou almost seemed to smile then, as Inu Yasha walked closer to her and they embraced. He was hers. He would always be hers. She pointed her hand past the monk and exterminator, pointing in the direction she knew Kagome was in. "She is in the palace of the Western Lands." She watched the monk nod, and heard Sango mention something about Kagome still being with Sesshoumaru. Inu Yasha seemed not to have heard either statement.  
  
Miroku and Sango shared a look, wondering what to do now about Inu Yasha. One glance from Inu Yasha, however, decided that for them.  
  
They left without him, jumping on Kirara's back and heading towards Sesshoumaru's home.  
  
Kikyou grinned in her victory.  
  
Inu Yasha pretended not to notice any of it.  
  
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Shippou was outside with Rin, playing with the annoyed Babysitter Jaken, as Kagome watched from the steps. Her mind ran over the time since Shippou showed up. Sesshoumaru had been uncharacteristically kind, though his attitude was otherwise unaffected. He had not only let her mend Shippou's wounds, but he had given her the supplies to do so, and then let Shippou stay once he was healed. In fact, it was partially bugging her how he hadn't made her work like the other servants of the place. The servants even grudgingly served her, though she could tell they disliked serving a human. Also, she couldn't get any of them to tend the flame that heated the baths while she bathed herself and Rin, so they had been washing in cold water.  
  
Not that she minded. She was used to the streams and lakes during traveling with Inu Yasha and company. The part that bugged her was that they were only being so mean to herself and to Rin.  
  
It was getting late out, and Kagome stood up. They still hadn't bathed today, and she knew that they were quite unclean. She also knew that youkai tended to have good noses, so it'd be best to stay clean around them. So she called Rin and Shippou to her, telling them to run to the room they shared and grab some spare outfits to wear after the bath. Both children ran off to the room, racing each other there. Kagome simply walked, moving far more slowly than the children.  
  
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Sesshoumaru spared her a glance as she entered the room. She tried her best to not act surprised at his being there. She bent down under the bedding to pull out the chest of clothing she was borrowing, taking out another kimono to wear, and when she looked up again he was gone.  
  
"Guess what, Kagome-neesan! Rin told Sesshoumaru-sama that the bath water was always cold, and Sesshoumaru-sama said that Rin, Shippou-san and Kagome-neesan could use his bathhouse! That water is always hot!" Kagome stood for a moment to think about this, wondering if he had really said that. Hadn't he told her that his bathhouse was off-limits? She sighed. He probably only changed his mind because of his soft spot for Rin (as she had decided it was that which made him keep the hyper little girl around). She smiled and led them down the halls and out towards the bath house that they had just been given permission to use.  
  
This could even be fun.  
  
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The bathhouse was actually a hot spring with walls built around it. Kagome's breath caught a little as they closed the screen behind them. This was certainly a luxury, after so many cold-watered baths, and she was ready to leap in without even undressing. She was very glad that Shippou and Rin were so young, because that gave her good company to add to the hot water. Oh yes, this would be very fun!  
  
Once in the water, they took care of the business of scrubbing first, helping each other with their backs and hair (just for the fun of it, really). After that, Rin and Shippou began to show off their swimming skills as Kagome relaxed and cheered them both on. It was getting late, and she knew they would have to get out soon, but she was reluctant to leave the soothing waters. Just as she was about to gather herself and get them finished, she heard a sliding sound behind her. Turning, she saw Sesshoumaru in the doorway.  
  
Sesshoumaru winced when Kagome shrieked. The sound hurt his ears. He slid the door shut behind him and laid his spare clothes on the ground, ignoring all of Kagome's comments about his being a pervert, and worse. He turned to face her, partially enjoying the shade of red her face was, and said, "This Sesshoumaru must bathe as well, and it is nearly night hours." He turned again to the clothing piles and striped, then entering the water along with the other three occupants.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin squealed, happy to see that he was going to watch her play too. She vaguely wondered why Kagome was completely red-faced, and why Shippou was hiding behind her, but instead of asking about it, she just tagged Shippou and said "Rin will race Shippou-san to that side over there!" Shippou nodded, casting a worried glance to the taiyoukai watching them, but swam for it when Rin said "go".  
  
Kagome was up to her chin in the water, arms and legs covering what they could. She was in between glaring at Sesshoumaru, and trying to avoid looking at him. Her curiosity managed to get the better of her for a moment, and her eyes flickered over his figure, breaking off just before the waist. She did notice, however, that there was a slight smirk on his lips, and that upset her almost as much as knowing that he was staring at her form too.  
  
If only she had the power to make him fall down with a single word, as she did Inu Yasha.  
  
Sesshoumaru was very amused by her reactions to his being there. Certainly she couldn't think he held any interest in a human. Not in the way she seemed to be taking it. However, he had to admit to himself that she had a nice figure. He had noticed her looking him over, and took the action as giving him due right to do the same. However, his gaze covered her entire body, and he stopped himself from making any sound as he did so. My, but wasn't she lovely for a human! Maybe he had his father's curse in his blood after all, but at this moment it didn't matter to him.  
  
With the sound of the children splashing around, he bathed himself, and then took up a relaxed stance. He noted how upset Kagome seemed when she realized that he was staying longer, and he moved a little closer to where she was huddled. This could be fun, seeing her reactions when she was this vulnerable. He knew he couldn't do much, not with Rin or Shippou nearby, but just getting closer to her seemed to make her uneasy. Somehow, this excited him.  
  
Kagome kept her eyes lowered to the water, watching the ripples that each breath made on the surface. She was doing all that she could to ignore Sesshoumaru, but it was very hard when he was closing in on the little space she had to herself. How she wanted to just jump out and run, but to do that she had to actually get out of the water, and she held little faith that he would be modest and turn away for her.  
  
It didn't help that he sported a grin that she had seen one too many times on Miroku's face before. Nor that he was within an arm's distance now. She met his gaze and shuddered. He smirked more.   
  
Oh yes... this would be fun.  
  
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NOTES: Okay, yes the rating is going up (just to be on the safe side). No, there won't be any *ahem* touchy-touching. This is more on the lines of his realizing that maybe he does like humans, and her realizing that maybe she likes him. Anyways, I won't tell any more just because I'd end up writing the next chapter. The next chapter will probably be a little on the long side, seeing as I'm going to get Sango and Miroku to show up again, and Kikyou and Inu Yasha are going to make a slight change of scene too. All in all, next chapter promises to be interesting, ne?   
  
Also, I try to only keep the Japanese where it feels right, but if I confuse anyone with it, just say so and I'll add some kind of glossary of terms or something for ya! ^_^ Ok?  
  
REVIEWS: (Hmm....)  
  
Nubia: Thank you! And of course Sesshoumaru and Kagome will stay together! It may kill my fic if they don't, seeing as it's already been said to be a Kagome/Sesshoumaru fic... lol. And don't worry... I promise to finish it! I don't like to leave things unfinished once I've made it public. ^_~  
  
DemonLady1: Was this soon enough? ^^;  
  
PasoLover: I'm glad you're enjoying the fic. ^_^ Again, was the update soon enough? Lol  
  
MysticalAngel4: Sorry... didn't mean to confuse you! Again, I forget to explain things, ne? ^^; You see, he was a while away, yes, but also remember how quickly he can move. If he were following them from a distance it would only make sense that he started to follow them when he woke up, only to find that they weren't leaving because of the missing Shippou and the erased arrow. That's how he caught up with them so quickly and got involved with the group again. Again, gomen! Didn't mean to confuse. ^^  
  
Sukera: Thank you! Glad you approve ^_^  
  
pruningshears: You know... that does make sense... maybe Kikyou IS the cure for writer's block... that or random killings of one Jaken toad-like youkai... lol. However, I also planned to have her in the fic, and that seemed a good place to pull her in. So... yeah. ^^; Thanks for the review... and if I told if she could get home ever again that could ruin the story! ^.~ (Added to the fact that I'm STILL trying to decide that! ^^;;; lol) Arigato!  
  
Victoria: Thanks for the review, and once more... was this soon enough? ^^; heh Or do I have to light a fire under my chair again to get me going? (o.O);;;; Actually... don't answer that! ^^;;;;;  
  
Micah17: Eh, sorry that the vacation didn't go well... ^^; Thanks for the compliments though! I shall keep up at it and hope it still qualifies as good work. ^_^ Thanks!  
  
Thanks to everyone for reviewing! It keeps me alive! I'm also glad that no one's afraid to ask questions when I manage to confuse, so if you're confused by anything feel free to not only ask, but maybe pull out a large mallet if needed... (x_x) heh... Arigato! ^_^ 


	7. New Ideas

NOTES: Gaah... The response! *dances* I'm soooo happy! Now I'll write the rest of the bathtub scene... have fun reading! ^.~  
  
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi is the owner of Inu Yasha and all involved... I own one box of pocky and I swear I'll eat it all before you could sue me for it. ^_^ The plot is mine, so no stealing or I'll get my pocky from you! ^.~ Enjoy the reading!  
  
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Kikyou ran her hands through Inu Yasha's hair, taking delight in his staying with her. He was all she wanted, and she didn't care how she got him. She would drag the whole world to Hell with her, as long as it included Inu Yasha. She had died both loving and hating him at once, and it had bound her soul with both emotions. She wouldn't let herself give him away, not after all she had gone through for him. As far as she was concerned, he had little choice in the matter.  
  
She looked at the back of his head, noting that they had been standing like this for a good while now without words or motion. She was beginning to believe he had zoned out again, completely trusting her and as completely helpless as he let himself get around her. That made her job easier. All she had to do was drag him to Hell with her, and they could be together. No one could tell him anything; no one would make him question himself for loving a corpse. No one would try to kill her again, just so she'd leave him alone.  
  
"Kikyou..." His voice startled her out of her thoughts. So he wasn't out-of-it yet...  
  
"Inu Yasha?" She was curious as to what he would say to get her to leave this time. Surely he would try to justify his saving her reincarnation from his half-brother. He would try to justify his leaving her. Tell her that she was dead, and should return thus. Tell her that she should quit haunting him with the past...  
  
"I love you, Kikyou. Don't leave me again, not this time. Please, Kikyou?" Inu Yasha pulled away from her and gave her his most pleading look. His "puppy dog eyes", ears lowered, everything included. The part of Kikyou's soul that really was hers, that part she still had from Kagome, felt like it melted at his words. At his face.  
  
"Kikyou... I have a question." His look changed to a more embarrassed face. He must not feel safe with his question. Despite herself, Kikyou asked him to continue.  
  
"Kikyou... about the jewel..." She scowled as she heard this, but didn't interrupt. "Well, could it be used to wish the dead back to life? I mean, totally alive, not as you are now?" She took a step back from him, letting the hidden message under his words sink in.  
  
"You wish to use the jewel on me, Inu Yasha?" She watched his face carefully as he nodded. He looked sincere about it...  
  
The part of her that hated him screamed at her that he must be lying. She had expected him to make excuses to go get her reincarnation, and wouldn't he need the girl now to find the shards for him? This was the perfect excuse! However... the other part of her, that part that still loved him, cried out that she had to do this. This could bring her back to life! She wouldn't have to take the souls of others to live, and her reincarnation could do nothing about her existence! On top of all that, Inu Yasha really would be hers.   
  
She looked at Inu Yasha and nodded. "Yes, the jewel could do that. However, what would you do about my reincarnation?"  
  
He looked at her joyfully. "Once we're done finding the jewel shards, we just have to send her... home... again..." His face changed expressions and he cursed, rather loudly. She watched him carefully still, noting that he wore the same face he always wore when he was mentally beating himself into the ground. Whatever was on his mind must be no small thing, at least to him. As for this situation, it may be no small thing for her as well.  
  
"What is it, Inu Yasha?" Kikyou had to ask him. She had been willing to go along with it. He would send the reincarnation home! It would be just her and Inu Yasha again, Kikyou and the hanyou. His change of face did nothing to make her feel good about her choice.  
  
"Kagome... your reincarnation's way home again... the reason she ever left is because I broke it..." He shook his head violently. "Come on, love. Let's visit your sister and see if we can't fix that. We can get Kagome after that. Knowing Sesshoumaru, he's either killed her already, or he's waiting for me. We should have the time." He knelt down in the fashion Kagome had been used to, indicating that Kikyou should climb onto his back. Kikyou, however, was not used to this and wondered why he sat there like that.  
  
After a few minutes of waiting, an embarrassed Inu Yasha jumped up and grabbed Kikyou in his arms instead, carrying her off towards Kaede's village. Holding her rather protectively, she noted with a smile. She leaned in and rested her head on his arm, wrapping her own around his neck. Yes, he was certainly hers. Forever.  
  
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Kagome would have sunk down further into the water if she hadn't already been up to her lower lip in it. She was intent on making sure not to take her eyes from Sesshoumaru, seeing as she did not trust him at all. She knew she was no match for him when it came to speed or strength, but if he tried anything she would be the first to slap him until she couldn't move her hands anymore. She let her ears listen for the children, making certain they were okay still, so that her eyes were free to watch the taiyoukai for... unusual movements.  
  
One thing she certainly did not like was his grin. She hadn't ever seen a real grin on his face before, which only made this more alarming. She had always thought he was too controlled to even have emotions, so seeing him lose his control only to show this side of him, this smile, really did nothing to make her feel secure. She wondered what he'd do if she tried to swim around him and get to the other side, away from him. She decided against it, however, on the idea that he might grab her and hold her back if she passed him, and the last thing she wanted right now was physical contact.  
  
Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was quite enjoying this. The glare on her face was classic, and the blush covered her entire face, making her seem to glow pink. Such flushed skin, he had heard, was usually soft and sensitive...   
  
He stopped moving closer to her when they were nearly touching. Due to the water, one couldn't so much as shiver without the other feeling the action, without ever touching skin. He could feel his control slipping, and his grin widening, and only managed to hold onto his emotions and actions by keeping two things in mind. One, there were two children just behind them, and two, he would never be interested in a human. Never. However... that didn't mean he couldn't let himself have a little fun anyways... right?  
  
He was trying to think of exactly what to do to scare her the most, and embarrass her the most, without making the children have those certain questions that no one in their right mind would want to have to answer. While he was thinking, he noticed that she was trying to push herself as far back as possible without exposing herself, and his grin widened. Unconsciously, his tail brushed up against her leg under the water... earning him a high-pitched scream from Kagome.  
  
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Shippou and Rin were pretending to race from one side to the other, both intently staring at Sesshoumaru and Kagome the whole time, and swimming at exactly the same pace so they could talk to each other during this.  
  
"Um, Rin... does Sesshoumaru act like this often?" Shippou had to ask, not certain which scared him more: the look on Kagome's face, or the grin on Sesshoumaru's. He'd seen the face on plenty of youkai before... just before they had taken something that wasn't theirs to take. Usually, that something was either a treasure, such as the very jewel they hunted, or it was the life of another. He certainly knew that there was no treasure in here... and that made him afraid.  
  
"No... Rin has never seen Sesshoumaru-sama smile so much. Does Kagome-neesan act like that a lot?" Rin was also worried by the scene, but not as much as Shippou was. She figured that if Sesshoumaru was grinning, then he must be happy, and Rin was happy if Sesshoumaru was. However, Kagome didn't look happy, and that put poor Rin at a loss. She wondered if maybe Kagome was sad about something and Sesshoumaru was trying to make her smile...  
  
"Sometimes... though she's only like that right before she slaps Miroku or tells Inu Yasha to sit... I really don't know why though." They had both stopped on one side to watch when Kagome screamed suddenly, for a reason neither of them could tell.  
  
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Kagome felt something under the water as it brushed up against her leg, though she had no idea that it was only Sesshoumaru's tail. After all her time outdoors, her first thoughts jumped around ideas like snakes and the like. She certainly did not like the thought of a snake around her leg. She didn't realize that whatever had brushed against her had fur on it... not until too late.  
  
She screamed and jumped up, completely out of the water, staring down into the water to see what had been there. That's when she realized not only that she had felt fur, but that she could see nothing more than Sesshoumaru's tail where her leg had been. She was about to yell at him for frightening her when she noticed where his eyes were roaming. She froze for a moment, remembering that there was no water around her anymore, and trying to think of what to do. Turning absolutely red, she turned and dashed for a towel once she noticed that his gaze had stopped at her ankles and was heading back up again.  
  
Sesshoumaru moved more quickly than she could... and at this moment, he moved more quickly than his mind could as well. The moment she ran, he was out of the water and holding onto her wrist, keeping her by him. He used his other hand to cup her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. He looked into her eyes, noticing that she was more shocked than anything else right now. It would be a perfect opportunity, because she wouldn't think to deny him. He moved his face closer to hers, lips almost brushing each other, when he heard... a splash from behind, and two sets of squishing footsteps run up beside them to watch.  
  
He turned his head enough to take in the curious expressions on their faces before he released Kagome and turned to get dried and dressed. He would have to watch himself from now on. He had managed to forget that they were being watched, and he could not allow himself to lose control that much. Not then, and not ever.   
  
He was halfway dressed already when Kagome finally snapped out of her stupor and hurriedly dried herself. She still managed to get dressed before Sesshoumaru finished, and both children did the same. Sesshoumaru almost laughed when he saw Shippou wearing one of Inu Yasha's childhood outfits. Almost. Without a word to any of them, he left and went back to his room. Clearly he needed rest, if he had lost himself so much.  
  
Kagome waited until she couldn't see Sesshoumaru anymore before she rushed herself, Rin, and Shippou inside. They had agreed to share their room three ways, both children insisting that they couldn't sleep if Kagome wasn't there beside them. She felt completely worn out, and was more than happy to have the children there with her. If not for their being there, she certainly didn't trust Sesshoumaru not to sneak in at night and finish his games. She blushed again, trying to sort out for herself why she hadn't run once he had finally let her go. She had frozen, but not in fear. She spent most of her night trying to figure out why, until she finally fell into sleep.  
  
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Sango and Miroku sat by their fire. They were camped just outside of what could be called Sesshoumaru's front yard. They were planning on taking turns with watching during the night, mostly due to the fact that they could hear guards lazily wandering around nearby, and were not certain of their safety this close to his home.   
  
They could have gotten there sooner if they hadn't stopped when they saw, from a distance, what could only be Inu Yasha leaping away back the way they had came, holding what was certainly Kikyou in his arms. They had spent an hour arguing and trying to decide if they should continue after Kagome, or go stop Inu Yasha from doing something stupid. They had finally agreed that they owed Kagome to go save her first. Inu Yasha had already told them, in his own way, that they were to leave him alone with Kikyou, so they'd respect his decision.  
  
After that, they had gotten lost and wandered around trying to find Sesshoumaru's home. After much wandering, they had to ask someone for directions. That someone was an unfortunate youkai who had had the nerve to attack them. After being beaten nearly senseless by both Miroku's staff and Sango's Hiraikotsu , he had finally agreed to give them directions. He had then been bound and dragged along behind them until they could see the building, only then releasing the injured youkai, who immediately ran away with the last of his shattered pride.  
  
Miroku was to keep first watch. Sango was reluctant to let him keep any watch, knowing how his hands would wander, but she knew they would both need their fair share of sleep. So she lay down and drifted into her dreams, while Miroku watched over them... he stayed awake all night, not waking her for her turn. He didn't doze off until the sun began to rise, and Kirara opened her eyes. Kirara watched over them both for the rest of the morning, while Miroku got the last little bit of sleep. They would have a long day tomorrow.  
  
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NOTES: Well, I thought I'd get this out before I began getting threatening reviews... lol. Sorry the chapter was so short though. I'll make up for it in later chapters. Next chapter will bring you more news about the current state of the well, as well as show more of the new trust between Kikyou and Inu Yasha. Also, Sango and Miroku show up in Sesshoumaru's home. How will that bide? Wait and see! ^.~   
  
REVIEWS: (Woo-hoo! ^_^)  
  
Lady2U: Yup... she was pretty much stuck. ^^ It makes for interesting reading, if nothing else, ne? ^.~ lol  
  
Lizzie: Ooh, I need to check out this website. Do you have a link? (I'm more than a little afraid to do a search of "Slap", knowing a lot of the other sites that the search will pull up... eh-heh ^.^; )  
  
vegito044: Well, the funny thing about immediate questions like that is... by the time you get to the bottom and read this review, you already read what he did.. lol. And I wanna see that grin too! ^.^ hehee. Thank you! ^__^ Arigato! I luv reviews like this too! heheee ^___^  
  
Sukera: mwuahaha... I hope this was soon enough ^^; lol  
  
DemonLady1: Gomen... didn't mean to make you wait. The wait shouldn't be so long this time around. ^^  
  
MysticalAngel4: Yup! A mallet just like that one! I tend to have a thick skull anyways. ^_~ lol. Glad you are liking my fic and hope the rest of it is as enjoyable. ^^ Thanks!  
  
Victoria: Thank you! ^_^ I hope, yet again, that this was soon enough... ^^; And to your second review... Gomen!!!! Here is the update! ^^;;;;;  
  
emerald dragon hanyou: Of course I had to leave it there! I'd have had to write a whole 'nother chapter to it if I didn't! lol. (And gutter mind isn't always so bad ---lmao---) Sorry, didn't know you hated them, but I have less control over that than you may think. Besides... it's kinda fun reading the responses when everyone is hooked on my cliffy... ^_~ hehee. Still, I hope I updated soon enough because I don't like cliffies much when I'm the reader either, so I don't want to leave any for too long. Thanks for the review! ^^  
  
chelsea: Yup... cliffy! lol. Glad you like it enough to want to read more. You people REALLY need to define what "soon" is though... lol. ^.~  
  
Trina3: lmao... I love the terms everyone has for Sesshoumaru now... =^^= Yesh, they make a very cute family... lol. I hope I don't disappoint then! Thanks for the review ^_^  
  
Anime Craze: Yes! Write it down, memorize it, and never ever forget it! Mwuahahahaaa... ^__~  
  
?????????: Thank you for the review, and I hope my updates are often enough! ^^  
  
Micah17: That's good to hear ^^ I hope I put in enough about Inu and Kikyou.To be honest, I really don't like Kikyou, but I couldn't stand to leave Inu Yasha alone. So, as much as I'm trying to stay within-character, she may seem a bit off. I'm glad you like the Sesshie of recent! ^_~ Hope this chapter was as fun to read as the last. ^_^  
  
Yuko: Of course! First, I need to see reviews, and second... the rest of it would have taken far too much time and space for that one chapter alone... lol. *hands you tissues* But here's the rest to that last chapter, so don't cry anymore, k? ^^  
  
Anyways, sorry it took so long this time, but a friend of mine had a birthday party, so my time was spent making sure that I had a gift for them and that I looked decent getting there... that, and learning how to drive to his house on my own for the first time ever. ^^; I even went tanning! Fun! So, again, sorry it took so long, and once I start seeing reviews for this chapter I'll make the next one. ^_^ Have fun waiting! lol 


	8. Chance Encounters

NOTES: So very sorry for the looooong delay! A great portion is justified... the rest is laziness... But we've moved and all sorts of things, and I get a load less computer time than I used to. I may not update again until late June or July, but that's because of moving again (back to where I get lots of comp time! Yes!). I just hope that my absence hasn't affected my writing... (; . ;)  
  
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi is the owner of Inu Yasha, etc... I'm not so broke anymore, but if you try to sue me, I swear I'll send my Attack Twinkies at you! (Oh yeah... by the way, I don't own anything about Twinkies either.... o.O; heh)

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Shippou stretched out his limbs as the sun peeked in on him. He had been sleeping closest to the window, so he was the first to be woken by the light. It didn't matter much to him, because the first thing he did was look at Kagome. She had slept and woken several times that night, always seeming afraid or ashamed, and sometimes both. He could smell it. However, she was asleep right now, so that was good enough for him. Rin was cozy on the other side of Kagome, looking as happy as other child could be.  
  
Shippou got out of bed and exited the room, looking for Jaken. He had never trusted the toad-like youkai, but he needed to ask him a question that he didn't dare to ask Sesshoumaru, nor could he bring himself to ask Kagome. It had occurred to him that the scene in the bath last night had not been normal, but he didn't know if it was something scary, as Kagome's body language had suggested, or if it was just another thing that happened a lot and that he was just too young to understand. He could imagine Inu Yasha laughing at him for asking something so stupid, and then turning pink and pounding him into the ground once it came time to answer it. He caught up his breath upon seeing Jaken down the hallway, and he gathered all of his courage. He wasn't afraid so much of Jaken beating him, for he was used to being beaten a lot, but he was afraid that Jaken would immediately inform Sesshoumaru of the young youkai's question. Still, he had to ask...  
  
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Jaken turned around to the shrill little voice of the kitsune. He didn't have much respect for that kid, but at the moment it seemed he was a guest. He'd indulge the brat, and maybe he'd get good information for later.  
  
"Um, Jaken-sama..." Shippou's stance was determined and a little embarrassed. Maybe this would be interesting, after all, if not useful. "What... what does it mean when... a girl turns red and a boy is smiling oddly... I mean, what does it mean if they are both naked and the girl acts a little scared but won't run.... Um..." Jaken stood in a stupor at hearing this, at first thinking that maybe the child had done something to Rin. Not that he liked the girl or anything, of course, but she had become a part of his and Sesshoumaru's life by now. He was about to make comment when the kitsune finally spilled the last of his question.  
  
"I mean... I'm not saying that he did anything bad, but he scared Kagome... and I want to know why. Please, do you know?" Shippou bowed humbly, knowing that he was probably pushing himself onto a dangerous wire. Jaken was already turning all shades of blue and red, and it wasn't a pretty sight. He seemed in between screaming and fainting.  
  
In fact, Jaken did have to sit down. Sesshoumaru and that human woman, with him smiling--SMILING, of all things!-- and they both being in the nude... It was too much for this faithful servant to bear. It was a lie, it had to be; yet the kitsune's expression proved his honesty. If that wasn't enough, he had to come up with a suitable answer as well, and one that wouldn't cause either Sesshoumaru or Kagome to kill him. Joy.  
  
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Kikyou looked at Inu Yasha again. She had been resting until now, but he hadn't stopped even once. She could even see the village now, and it wouldn't be long before they were at her little sister's hut. She caught herself wishing that they had been further away, because being in his arms now felt right. She also caught herself wondering how long this would last. Would he really keep his word and bring her back to life, or would he use her to get Kagome back? She knew how he felt about Kagome. He protected her and watched over her with his life. He wouldn't even let her touch the young miko, so how could she begin to think that he loved her more than her reincarnation?  
  
Almost in response to her questioning thoughts, his grip tightened around her. They were there, and the sun was beginning to come up. Her poor little sister, she thought. No matter how old she was now, she was still about to wake her sister this early to give her a shock, to say the least.  
  
They entered the hut, and prepared themselves for the upcoming confrontation.  
  
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Kaede sat in her hut, face-to-face with her deceased sister and the hanyou lover of the dead. Inu Yasha had taken the time to explain to Kikyou the importance of the well, and Kaede was left to tell Kikyou the current state of the well.  
  
"Then my reincarnation cannot make it back home unless this well is fixed." Kikyou's gaze looked as horrible as it had ever been. Her chance at being herself again, and at having gotten rid of her reincarnation in the best way, were running like water through her fingers, and Inu Yasha seemed again a dream that could only happen in Hell. Kaede nodded.  
  
"We have tried to bring it back. Indeed, the well looks as well as it has ever been, but we do not know if it will work. We have not found any bones in it, nor has there been any way to test the ability to travel through it. Inu Yasha, you may be able to test that. You have gone through the well several times now, and as such should be able to do so again."  
  
Inu Yasha flinched. He didn't think he'd be able to face Kagome's family right now, if they saw him. After all, he did just leave her safety in the hands of a youkai-killer, a perverted monk, a fire-kitten, and a child. What would he say to them if they asked how Kagome was doing? What if they asked her to come home? He may have chosen Kikyou, but that didn't mean he didn't care at all for Kagome. She was just... a friend. That he'd die for.  
  
Still, she had to go home. She was always in danger when she was with him, or even in the same world as him, and she would pull herself behind with all of her schooling--she would always say so herself-- and she only fell behind because she was with him. This time around, he'd send her home and THEN destroy the well... and he'd make sure it stayed that way. Then she would be safe, and Kikyou would be able to be with him again. Win-win, he thought to himself with a grim demeanor. Who was he fooling? He knew he'd miss Kagome's being around, as would Shippou and the others.  
  
"It's for the best." He stood up and went outside. It was time to test the new well.  
  
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Kagome woke up, unwillingly waking Rin at the same time. The two dressed for the day and Kagome sent Rin to breakfast. She wasn't very hungry at the moment. She had been having dreams all through the night. She wondered how she could have even dreamed so much in so short a time. However, they were all the same, or at least the same topic. Only location was different for each one.  
  
In her dreams, she had been walking, to where she did not know. It didn't much matter, because she never reached her goal. Two hands would reach around her shoulders, and she would feel a body press behind her into her back. The hands moved to become arms around her, holding onto her as if she would fade away into nothingness if they let go. Indeed, she would feel the same way, as if she would be alone forever if the arms left her, or if the pressure on her back faded. She would hear a whisper in her ear, but she could never remember what was said. Then, however, she would always find something with a reflective surface, and she would always see the same thing looking back at her.  
  
Two stripes marking each cheek, and a crescent centering the forehead, framing beautiful golden eyes and a wicked grin. That is all she saw. It did not matter that nothing else was to be seen; not a nose or a hair, nor skin or even herself. She knew who it was behind her, and what was on his mind. Then, she would wake up. She woke in a sweat, but her only fear was the meaning behind the dreams. Did she harbor feelings for this man-- this youkai-- and if so, did he feel the same way about her? It bothered her to think so, if only because of who she knew him to be.  
  
He was cold, emotionless, and a precise killer who would threaten his own brother's life for a sword. He was a man who would kill human and youkai alike... but then again, didn't he also travel with a human child and protect her? Did he not have at least one faithful follower in both worlds, youkai and human? Besides, he hadn't killed Kagome yet, and that was promising, despite the incident the night before.  
  
She turned the corner and, upon feeling something, stopped dead.  
  
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Sango and Miroku were riding Kirara in order to avoid the most of the guards. Sure, they were running around below them, but fortunately very few could fly, and those that could were easy enough to beat. They flew straight over the top of and to the back of the building, efficiently leaving all the ground's guards to have to run around the building or through it. Given their momentary peace, they found a back entrance and made their way in. None of the servants dared to protest it.  
  
They walked quietly and got lost about ten times while dodging guards or servants. Stealth would be their best bet until they found Kagome, and then they would take the direct method to get away. Their method worked. There was Kagome, just ahead of them in the hallway and not a soul else around her. Miroku rushed up behind her and grabbed her shoulder, and did his usual routine with his other hand. Sango slapped him, but Kagome seemed quite frozen this time.  
  
"Kagome? Are you okay? Where's Shippou?" Sango walked in front of Kagome, and thus relieved the miko of her trance.  
  
"Sango! Miroku! How did you get in? Oh! Shippou... I was just looking for him. He must have woken before I did... Where is Inu Yasha?" She had noticed how quiet it was. He was never this quiet when rescuing her, and certainly rescue from his own brother would be no different. If anything, it would be more noisy this time around. Sango shook her head, and Miroku sidled the topic.  
  
"First let us find Shippou and leave, and then we will discuss Inu Yasha."  
  
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Jaken left the room to Shippou. Shippou had never gotten the answer to his question, but he had one thing made clear to him. Kagome and he should leave, and soon. Apparently, Sesshoumaru would be making another of his frequent trips through the land, and that would be the perfect time to leave. The guard wouldn't dare lay a hand on her now that she's become more of a reluctant guest than a prisoner, and so it would be simple to sneak out. Shippou went back toward the room he had been getting used to sleeping in, and wondered how he could say good-bye to Rin without actually saying good-bye.  
  
In his train of thoughts, he managed to walk right into Kirara, just in time to hear Miroku's final comment about leaving. Shippou announced his entrance with "you mean... we're leaving now?"  
  
Kagome bent down and hugged the kitsune. "Yes, we really should leave. You know that we don't belong here. Sango, Miroku, please give me just a moment. I want to leave something for Rin, so she doesn't think so ill of us for leaving like this." With that, Kagome ran back to their shared room with Shippou at her heels. Kagome didn't have much, due to her sudden departure, but she had been wearing an old necklace of hers when she was taken. It wasn't much; it was something like a child would get from a candy machine or for a prize at a fair. Still, in this world it would be one-of-a- kind, and it was all she carried with her to leave behind. Shippou left one of his kitsune tricks behind, knowing that Rin would never have any real use for it, but he also had nothing better to leave.  
  
With that, the group ran for it.

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NOTES: Sorry... I'm not going to reply to the last batch of reviews this time... I have to go through them again, and that means digging them all up again. Don't worry, I'll get to the ones that had questions, but for now it'll just stay silent. Thanks for sticking about, and I hope I haven't caused too much trouble! 'Til next chapter, ja matta ne!! 


	9. Great Escape

NOTES: Okay, okay... things are still a little messy over here... so I'm still low on time, but I vow to work harder on these fics now! I think I've finally overcome my sudden video game obsession, so... my time is here. Yeah.... Ok.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi is the owner of Inu Yasha, etc... You know.

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Inu Yasha stood on the edge of the well. Kikyou and Kaede stood not far away, watching, and both eager for his success, even if for different reasons. Kaede hadn't lied. The well looked as good as ever. In fact, it looked brand-new. Still, something was different about it. It had nothing to do with the scent of fresh-cut wood, or how much more neatly the pieces fit now that it was new again. Something about this well was... lonely.  
  
He took a deep breath and leaped in. He even closed his eyes, for whatever reason he could not decide. When he felt the earth beneath him, he dared to open his eyes again, and to look upwards. Leaning back against the walls of the well, he let out a contained sigh.  
  
From above, he could hear the words he hadn't wanted to hear. Or maybe the words he had secretly hoped most to hear....  
  
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They had managed to get past most of the servants and guards as they ran, seeing as most didn't know if they should be trying to stop the escape or avoiding the runaways. The few who did step in the way quickly found themselves eating dirt, compliments of Sango and Miroku. Kirara was carrying both Kagome and Shippou, as both had fallen behind immediately, lost in a daze while they ran.  
  
Shippou couldn't stop thinking about what Rin would think of him, because he hadn't ever said good-bye. Sure, he had been planning on running away anyways, but he hadn't had a chance to figure out how he'd sneak out and manage to say his farewells at the same time. He'd grown somewhat fond of Rin. She was fun to be around once she got to trust you. That hadn't taken long for Shippou. He kept glancing backwards, wondering if he might spot her before they got out of sight.  
  
As for Kagome, she wasn't glancing backwards, but something was itching in the back of her mind. Between the still-troublesome images from her dreams and the knowledge that the youkai in those dreams was nearby, she was at a loss for what to do. She had barely registered when she had quite walking and had started riding. She was afraid that Sesshoumaru would show up anytime now, and he would stop her from leaving. Then again... she was still mad at Inu Yasha. Part of her didn't want to leave yet. He hadn't even come along to rescue her, so maybe she shouldn't have left.  
  
One look at Sango and Miroku reminded her of how lucky she was. Not everyone had friends that would risk entering Sesshoumaru's territory just to save her, especially without Inu Yasha's help. Still, something indescribable kept bugging her, in the back of her mind.  
  
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Jaken had gone immediately to find Sesshoumaru, only to find him by the window of one of the main rooms. He had been hoping to stall Sesshoumaru long enough for the kitsune to gather his thoughts, and perhaps to tell that Kagome to leave, and when. However, one look at the taiyoukai's eyes had told him not to risk getting in the way. He had an odd look, perhaps between anger and curiosity. Jaken did not want the butt of either end of that, so he kept silent as he watched Sesshoumaru gazing out the window.  
  
It only occurred to him too late to look at what was causing that look.  
  
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Sesshoumaru had not planned to enter that room. He had been heading over to the breakfast room to check in on Rin and his... guests. Impulse had led him here, and one glance out the window had kept him. There she was, running away from him. His foolish guards were of no use. He had never minded before this, however. This palace of his meant nothing to him. It belonged to the family, and he abhorred the home that a human would be proud of. Youkai should not imitate the weaker species that humans were, and yet he kept up a family possession for the sake of the honor of whichever ancestor of his had enjoyed this human's necessity.  
  
In fact, he hadn't been to this place in a long time. His guards and servants kept it clean, and were able to leave after they did their work. To be honest, it had only seemed appropriate to keep his new captives here, both for their sake and for his own. She could not slow down his travels if he wasn't traveling, and it would be easier to keep an eye on the woman as she was trapped between walls.  
  
Trapped in a cage, completely at his mercy. Just like the other night, while bathing....  
  
He didn't glace at Jaken as he had entered the room. Something was bothering his imp of a follower, but he had other things to worry about. He closed his eyes for a moment, deciding between stopping her now and following her to see what she was up to. He heard Jaken gasp and could sense his body starting to shake in fear. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes to look at his devotee, already guessing what had caused the reaction.  
  
"You are shaking, Jaken. Did you have something to do with their escape?" He spoke as he always did. Control was the key. It brought fear, and respect. No weakness, no escape. Nowhere for Jaken to hide, and no way for Jaken to change the subject. Jaken turned a shade of purple over his usual green.  
  
"N-n-n-n-no, Ses-s-sshoumaru-sama! This Jaken had nothing to do with it!" Jaken went over his defense in his mind. He hadn't had anything to do with it, after all. He had only suggested it, but for them to have called friends over and gotten out so quickly? This couldn't have anything to do with him. He calmed down a little with that reassurance, though it was difficult with that cold stare of Sesshoumaru's cast down upon him.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned and leaped out the window to stop this escape. Something started should not be let escape so easily, and not back into the arms of Inu Yasha. If nothing else, his hanyou half-brother would get a lesson from this, through fighting.  
  
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Kagome had closed her eyes. They had managed to get a little distance away now, so she wasn't afraid to speak anymore. One question was still on her mind, and so she asked it.  
  
"Why didn't Inu Yasha come with you?"  
  
Sango and Miroku shot each other a look, each daring the other to be the one to say it. Finally, Sango lost, and she turned to look Kagome in the eyes when she answered.  
  
"Kikyou stopped us on our way, after Shippou left. Inu Yasha wanted to be alone with her, and refused to wait until after we found you."  
  
Miroku added, "Don't worry, Kagome, he will be fine. We will probably meet him on the way back to the we--..." He stopped short at the word "well," remembering how Kagome had reacted to the destruction of it. Indeed, she looked a bit pale now, and he wondered if it was because of Inu Yasha or the well's tragedy, or perhaps both.  
  
It was both, because Kagome couldn't help but be sick at the thought of never getting to return home, but the thought that they had just left Inu Yasha with Kikyou, knowing that she was more than likely to try to drag him to Hell... she was furious with them. Still... he had chosen to stay with Kikyou over even rescuing her. Couldn't Kikyou even wait for a rescue? Sesshoumaru could have killed her any time, at his leisure. Kikyou was already dead. She had an eternity to wait for him. Kagome felt sick at both her thoughts, and the fact that she was thinking them.  
  
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Inu Yasha looked up from his place in the well to watch the face looking down at him.  
  
"Did it work?" All Kikyou asked, and he couldn't answer. He hopped out of the well and shook his head. He couldn't get through.  
  
"It is busted, then. That would explain why the well has been devoid of everything it once stood for. Kagome may, in fact, be trapped here for the rest of her life. I shall try to find out if there was a spell placed on the well when it was created. Perhaps it is only a matter of enchanting it again. It is our last shot." Kaede turned to leave, and neither the disappointed Kikyou or her hanyou made any move to stop her.  
  
"You should go save my reincarnation. You said your brother had her, right? We can't send her back to her time if she is killed. I will wait here until she has tried the well. Perhaps it will still work for her, if not for you. It is to her time, after all." She turned and walked away while saying this, only stopping at the end to add one last thing. "I will not come to you again until she has tried to go through that well. You had better not let her avoid it, Inu Yasha, or I will not give you this chance again."  
  
Inu Yasha opened his mouth several times to say something, but he was left speechless. She was right about one thing... he had to save Kagome. He didn't really trust Sango and Miroku to be able to handle a youkai like Sesshoumaru. "Besides," he told himself, "I've never backed down from him before. I'll beat him and get her back." With this, he took a leap into the air and started out back in the direction he had followed the first time, and he only glanced back once in hopes of seeing Kikyou once more before her hiding was complete.  
  
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With Kagome and the team, things were looking up again. They had relocated Kagome's backpack, which Sango and Miroku had left in hiding a safe distance from Sesshoumaru's place, and were safely on their way. At least, until a blur ran past them and blocked their way.  
  
"For my prisoner, priestess, perhaps I gave you too much freedom. You will return at once, if you wish to continue without being tied down." He said this while looking at Kagome, but it was her friends who responded first. Both raised their weapons, and Sesshoumaru made his threat by releasing the poison around his claws. Kagome slid off of Kirara's back, knowing in the back of her mind that her friends wouldn't win this without Inu Yasha.  
  
So she pulled her bow and arrows from her pack, and readied herself for battle.  
  
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NOTES: Yes, yes... I know this chapter is still not as long as you may or may not like it to be. But my ideas for the next chapter I'd like to write together, so I thought this would be the best place to stop it. Again, I promise to do more writing now, so updates should not be so far in between this time around. However, I AM working on two fics at once now, so please bear with me. And one more thing... I finally update and I only got two reviews this time? I'm going to cry! I guess I lost popularity... sob Oh well... maybe I can build back to it again. Until next time! (Oh, and thank you both who reviewed this time! It meant a lot to me! Really!)


	10. The Losing Battle

NOTES: >hangs rope around my throat> I am ready for my lynching... But seriously, I am terribly sorry for being so late in my updating. A lot of things have happened... and in the last year, I don't think I can even number or list them anymore. I have less time than ever, what with college and a job, but with summer break coming up I will do my best to push for free time. I will write! I will get this fic going again! And I will pray that all of my lovely readers haven't forgotten me completely... >cries> Also, sorry for the ">" marks where I used to use others. The editor on this site keeps deleting everything else I would use. 

DISCLAIMER: If you don't know by now that I don't own Inu Yasha, then you are in need of more help than I am. nods But that's okay. We all need help sometimes. My props to Sesshoumaru's owner: Rumiko Takahashi. Three cheers!

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Inu Yasha was rushing towards Sesshoumaru's mansion at his full speed. He guessed that Miroku and Sango were probably there by now, so he hoped they had waited on him. However, he had been a while with Kikyou...

Even in his rush, he was still nearly a day away, and he knew he'd never keep up this pace. He would have to rest at some point, or have no chance in... no chance with Kikyou once he confronted his half-brother. He decided he would get close, wear out, then rest up. Sleep. He would attack tomorrow, in full power.

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He did not know that at that very moment the battle had begun without him. Miroku had run behind Sesshoumaru, while Sango took the side to his left. What with his one arm, this would slow him down, however slightly, in attacking her. Kirara growled and stepped in front of Kagome, trying to urge the priestess back onto her back. This would be a tough battle, and Kagome was the main target. Knowing this, Kagome raised her bow and arrow, aiming at Sesshoumaru's breast. She would have to end this quickly to protect her friends. She wondered if it were possible to talk him into leaving them be.

Sesshoumaru took in their battle positions. He figured that he should go for the exterminator first, as she had the best range attack. Miroku would have to get close to him or risk taking his friends into his Kazaana. Shippou would be of little to no help to his friends in this battle, and Kagome was tremling unconsiously. She was likely to miss even if she loosed her arrow. He figured Kirara would either make Sango a moving target, or Kagome a protected treasure. He reached his poisoned claw outwards to his right, and lept towards Sango.

Sango dodged, barely escaping. Too late did she realize she was not the target of his attack. The center of her Hiraikotsu was melting from the toxin, rendering her beloved weapon useless. Miroku was moving quickly, already right behind Sesshoumaru. He had placed a sutra on his staff, intending to bring it down on Sesshoumaru with holy power. If nothing else, perhaps they could stun him. However, Sesshoumaru had been expecting the monk and he brought his venom through the staff. It barely resisted a moment before falling over leaving Miroku vulnerable. Sesshoumaru nearly took his opportunity, but choose rather to leap backwards a few feet.

Kagome had shot her arrow, barely missing either the monk or taiyoukai. Both parties had deemed it more wise to leap away than to attack each other for it, and Miroku was forced to leave behind the top of his weapon. Both Sango and Miroku ran for Kagome, taking fullest advantage of their attacker's pause. Kagome shook as she reached for another arrow. They had barely fought for a minute and already they had nearly lost. Were they really so pitiful without Inu Yasha to protect them?

Would Inu Yasha appear to save her as he had done so often in the past? Or was he too busy entertaining Kikyou in Hell?

"Last chance, priestess. Return by choice, or by force." Sesshoumaru raised his claws again to indicate their loss. Had he been anyone else, he would have grinned. This had been all too easy. He could see the wheels turning in Kagome's head, contemplating her surrender. She shuddered, and both her friends turned to glare at her momentarily, daring her to chance their wrath should she give in to him.

She took the moment to shudder again.

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Inu Yasha stopped when he reached the place he had previously separated from Miroku and Sango. He knew where he had to go, but he'd nearly run himself dry. He hadn't had a good night's rest since he had broken the well, and he hadn't slept at all since he met up with Kikyou. He thought this would be as good a place as any to rest up.

A feeling of unease grew in his chest and he couldn't help but look towards his destination. They had waited on him, hadn't they? He wasn't so sure.

Best he didn't rest too long.

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Kagome looked to her friend's worried faces. It was time to assess her situation, and quickly. On one hand, her friends were in danger and would likely not be otherwise freed from it, so she should choose to return quietly. On the other hand, Inu Yasha was with Kikyou, and Kagome couldn't bear to think of leaving him to Hell's fire without even trying to save him. Was there a middle ground? She could try for it... at least enough to buy her some thinking time.

"Sesshoumaru-sama..." she tried in her most apologetic but authoritative voice (on loan from her mom!), "I have to leave. Inu Yasha may be in great danger, and even as furious as I am with him, he cannot beg forgiveness if he is dead." She watched the taiyoukai's face for any sign of relent, but found his expression as icy and unreadable as it had ever been. She tried to think of a better excuse to add in to this one, but he interrupted her.

Before she knew what had happened, he had moved closer and grabbed her around her waist. "There are others here who can save him. You will stay." With this note, said more for her friends than for her, he lept up and away with her, Shippou still clutching her shoulder for dear life.

Sango and Miroku started after her, but she shot them a last glare before she was taken completely out of sight. They understood well.

Fix your weapons and find Inu Yasha. Reluctantly, they turned to do just that.

"We can't win without them." Both persons grabbed their broken weapons, and Kirara took them back from where they came.

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NOTES: I know, this is a very short chapter. It happens to be late, and I should be doing a report for tomorrow. This was more appealing. If I get so much as one review, I will make the next installment longer and far more interesting. Lets just say that Kagome will be antagonized a little more, and Inu Yasha will finally know what has become of Kagome. This should be fun.

I actually got a few good reviews in the time I've been gone, but I've totally lost track of them. I am sorry, but I won't be replying to them this time around. I will start again with the next chapter, which I will do my best to release before the month is over, at latest. I am back, babeh! --had to say it.

Onegai: Read and Review (and forgive me my chronic tardiness)!


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